City of Brush is finalist in All-America City contest

Posted:
04/09/2013 09:00:54 AM MDT

Updated:
04/09/2013 09:55:28 AM MDT

The National Civic League has invited 20 communities, including the City of Brush, to the annual All-America City Awards (AAC) competition June 14-16 in Denver, Colorado.Others invited to the competition were Birmingham, Alabama; Owensboro, Kentucky; Downey, California; Natchitoches, Louisiana; Canton, New York; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Dunn, North Carolina; Montrose, Colorado; Garner, North Carolina; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Thomasville, North Carolina; Miami Lakes, Florida; Folly Beach, South Carolina; Sarasota County, Florida; The Colony, Texas; Peoria, Illinois; Norfolk, Virginia; Dubuque, Iowa; and Platteville, Wisconsin.This year, the program is spotlighting community-wide initiatives that honor and benefit veterans and military families. Next year, the 65th anniversary of the program, the focus will be on communities that foster healthier lifestyles for their residents.“All-America Cities set an example and a standard of excellence for local problem-solvers throughout the country,” said NCL President Gloria Rubio-Cortes. “This is an award that gives us hope, ideas and inspiration as we look for ways to address the difficult challenges we face as communities and as a nation.”All-America City Awards recognize local action through community-based problem-solving and civic engagement efforts involving the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

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The designation gives the winning communities “bragging rights” than can help them recruit new businesses, increase jobs and obtain grants for community betterment projects in the future.“AAC is more than an awards program,” noted NCL Interim Chair Liz Hollander. “It gives communities a unique opportunity to celebrate their successes, but also to take a clear-eyed look at their civic capacities.”Once described by pollster George Gallup as a “Nobel Prize” for civic accomplishment, the awards have been given to more than 600 communities since its inception in 1949. Some have won it as many as five and six times. Not just cities, but neighborhoods, towns, counties and metropolitan regions can apply for the prestigious award.To qualify for AAC, participants fill out applications listing three examples of successful community change. Applicants are enocuraged to use the National Civic League's “Civic Index,” a widely used tool for assessing community strengths and weaknesses. In their applications, they describe their capacities for civic engagement, collaboration; inclusiveness and innovation.NCL will produce a report based on the finalists' projects to inform communities seeking to improve their current initiatives or establish new ones benefiting veterans and military families. Sponsors and partners of the 2013 All-America City Award include: The Piton Foundation; Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation; PCL Construction Enterprises, Inc.; Southwest Airlines – The Official Airline of the All-America City Award; Greenberg Traurig; Merrick & Company; City of Aurora, Colorado; BBVA Compass; City of Dublin, California; El Pomar Foundation; FirstBank; City of Lakewood, Colorado; Alameda Gateway; RubinBrown; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Kettering Foundation is a research partner. The Colorado National Guard is a partner.